Stock-cutting process.



K. ENGEL. STOCK CUTTING PROCESS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.2I I912.

I 1 14%,156 PatentedJune 8,1915.

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KARL ENGEL, OF ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY STOCK-CUTTING PROCESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 21, 1912. Serial No. 738,024.

which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

'My invention relates to methods of cutting from a side of leather soles and other related parts to be used in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and the object is to provide an improved method whereby the material may be utilized to the best advantage and waste reduced to a minimum.

The invention can be described best by reference to the drawings, in which- Figure 1 representsa section of a side of leather and illustrates the lay-out of the blanks thereon according to my method and Fig. 2 shows the manner inwhich I utilize the form of sole obtained. 1

My method contemplates the production of sole blanks truncated at the heel portion, since I have found that blanks of this form may be cut from a side of leather with great economy and may also be used economically in the subsequent construction of the shoe. I contemplate particularly the production of unsymmetrical soles, but my method may be employed, as subsequently explained, to produce symmetrical or straight soles.

As viewed in one aspect the improved method consists in cutting two blanks truncated as described, comprising in the case of unsymmetrical soles a left and a right, as indicated respectively by the numerals 1 and 2, arranged with the curved foreparts of their inner sides adjacent 0r contiguous as shown and their shank portions separated sufliciently to provide material for a heel lift 3. The heel end of each blank is truncated preferably adjacent to the heel breast location or slightly in the rear thereof on a line inclined from the axis ofthe sole toward the inner. side of the shank or at such an angle to the axis that the two blanks may be laid out with their truncated ends substantially in alinement and the foreparts of their inner or shorter sides adjacent or contiguous, and thereby provide between the shank portions material of a shape and size to permit a close and economical cut of the lift, which may be formed also with its breast line substantially in a-linement with the truncated ends of the sole blanks as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will be seen that by this arrangement it is possible to cut close to the side of a sheet with but little waste and that the waste of material between the sole blanks isnegligible. By varying the angle at which the soles are truncated they may be laid out in the manner described so as to provide material for cutting lifts of different sizes as desired, subject usually however to another consideration which will be subsequently referred to.

In another aspect the invention consists in cutting sole blanks of the form previously described in pairs, each comprising in the case of unsymmetrical soles a right and a left, with their truncated ends closely adjacent and preferably abutting, as shown at 1 and 4 and also at 2 and 5, so as to bring the inner or shorter sides of the blanks on the same side of the pair, and I arrange two such pairs in the relation shown with the curved foreparts of the inner or shorter sides of the soles adjacent or contiguous,

thereby providing between the two pairs of soles material suflicient for two heel lifts 3 and 6. The arrangement of the parts 4:, 5 and 6, it will be seen, is a duplicate of the arrangement of the parts 1, 2, and 3. In practising the method I preferably employ a single die constructed to cut at one operation a pair of blanks arranged in the relation of 1 and 4:, and use the same die or similar dies of different sizes to cut the other sole blanks on the sheet. This has the advantage that it is only necessary to place the die each time with certain points of its contour in definite relation to certain points of the.

counter of blanks previously cut, and portions of material of the proper predetermined size and shape for the formation of heel lifts of the size'desired are left as a matter of course. Obviously, however, dies shaped each to cut a single sole may be used, or the blanks may be cut from patterns by hand; but in such cases the difliculty of properly laying out the blanks would be greater. The double form of die also may be used near the edge of the sheet for cutting a single sole blank if desired. The heel lifts, it

Patented June 8, 1915.

In carrying out the process as thus far described, to utilize an extended portion of the. stock, and particularly as incidental to the use of a double die, there will preferably be out two pairs of blanks, 2, 5, 7, 8,

arranged as shown, with the pair! 7, 8 re-- versely disposed with reference to the pair 2, 5 and with the outer edges of the soles opposed and adjacent or for a portion of their extent'contiguous, the two pairs being relatively displaced endwisef so that portions adj {cent to the truncated ends of each pair lie within the depression at the shank of one of the soles of the, other pair; and other blanks or pairs of blanks will be cut adjacent to the ends of the first-mentioned pairs as indicated at 9, 10, thereby providing between the foreparts of the blanks 2, 7, 9, 10, a piece of material of suitable size and shape for the formation of two heel lifts 11 and 12, which may be cut therefrom with but little waste.

The preferred manner of applying the method in utilizing an entire sheet of stock will now be described in detail. Beginning at the edge of the stock I place the die with the outer side as close as possible to the edge in the manner indicated at 1, 4, and cut a row of blanks in this manner from one end of the sheet to the other. I then reverse the die and cut a second row of blanks disposed with reference to the first as shown for a subsequent operation, or these lifts.

may be cut out at once. I next reverse the die again and cut a third row of sole blanks disposed with reference to the second row as shown at 7, 8. This provides the pieces of material for the lifts 11, 12, which may be treated in the same manner as those previously obtained for the lifts 3, 6, The waste material, which by my process is reduced to a minimum, is ofcourse preserved to be sold as scrap.

Subsequent operations are a repetition of those described, and the process is continued until the entire side of leather is utilized in the most economical manner. If the edge of the material where the first blanks are cut is substantially straight the same size of die may be used for cutting substantially all the sole blanks; but if the side of lea her, as frequently occurs, presents a curved lower edge, it is necessary to use dies of smaller sizes as the operation progresses. If this were not done, the blanks would tend to crowd one another and the pieces of material from which the lifts 11,12 are to be cut would become too small for practical use. This would result in waste which may The sole blank produced by my process may be utilized as shown in Fig; 2, where the truncatedend is skived off and material fastened thereto, preferably by means of staples, to form a heel seat. This piece of material may be made up advantageously of scrap leather cemented and cut to the proper shape, or the heel seat may be formed from other inferior material, thereby effecting an economy without detracting from.

the wearing qualities or appearance of the shoe. The heel lifts are fastened to this heel -seat in the customary manner and are made way the angle of the axes of a pair of blanks, :as 1, 4, may be varied so as to change the size of the piece of material from which the lifts 3, G are to be cut. This should be done usually, however, with reference to the lifts 11, 12, since such a change necessarily affects the size of the .piece of material from which these lifts are to be cut. The lifts 3, .6, it should be noted, are not necessarily used in the production of the same shoes for which the sole blanks produced by the process are utilized, although they may well be of a size suitable for such purpose. The lifts 11, 12 are of course to be used in a smaller size of shoe, and these lifts are ordinarily smaller than the lifts 3, 6.

While my process is particularly applicable to the production-of unsymmetrical soles,v

previous reference has been made to the fact that straight or symmetrical soles may be produced thereby. In such a case it is usually necessary to truncate the sole blank on a line somewhat more inclined to the axis, in order to make a lay-out which rovides material suflicient to form lifts o the desired size.

Variations other than those noted consistent with the essential steps of my improved method and within the spirit and scope of the claims will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Having described my improved method and the preferred manner in which it is to Lit- 33,166

be given effect, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is the following:

1. That improvement in methods of utilizing sole stock which consists in cutting from the sheet of stock two soles truncated at the heel ends, the lines of severance being so located that the inner edges of the foreparts will lie adjacent to each other and the longitudinal axes of the soles will be so disposed relatively to each other upon the sheet as to leave between their shank portions sufficient material to provide a heel lift of predetermined size, and in cutting the soles so determining the angle of cut at the truncated end of each sole with-reference to the 1 name to this specification in the presence of longitudinal axis of the sole that the cuts at said ends will be in substantial alinement, and cutting out a heel lift from the stock in the space between the shank portions, the width of said lift being equal to that of said space. Y

2. That improvement in methods of utilizing sole stock which consists in cuttin from the sheet of stock two pairs of sole lanks with their inner edges disposed toward each other, each pair of blanks being so shaped as to permit of separation by a single line of cut into two soles truncated at the heel ends, and in the cutting of the blanks so determining the angular relation of the longitudinal axes of the soles of each of the two pairs as to leave between the shank portions thereof suflicient material to provide two heel lifts of predetermined sizes, and cutting two heel lifts from the stock in the spaces between the shank portions, the width of said lifts being equal to the width of said spaces.

In testimony whereof I have signed my two subscribins witnesses.

KARL ENGEL.

Witnesses:

HowAnn O. WINSLOW, Ham/0w M- DAVIS. 

